420gto

iTrader: (11)

Would you rather have:

stage 2(or 2.5) ported 243's/LS6 intake/78mm TB

Or

Stage 1 243's/Fast 90/and a 90 or 92mm TB?

This would be with LTs, Catback, AuSpeed OTR, and a SD Tune.

outkast6991

iTrader: (34)

Get the best heads you can afford. Always easier to swap an intake than a set of heads

420gto

iTrader: (11)

Well I already have the stock 243's, I'm going to get them ported but to do the Stage 2 or better job I would need to sell the Fast 90 and stay with the stock LS6. Can't afford the stage 2 heads with the Fast 90 and a new TB.

Felix C

Depends on what a Stage 1,2, and 2.5 are and what they fit into your final goals. No mention of camshaft so stock will continue?
Match everything-heads/intake/cam/exhaust/driveline.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

What cam?

My stage 1 PRC ls6 heads performed awesome.. I ran them with a ported 90... This was years ago.

420gto

iTrader: (11)

It's AI's 218cc package that I'm looking at if everything goes according to plan. The cam is staying stock. There's only so much money to go around and a new cam with all the extras like an oil pump and new springs would kill my remaining budget. So something has to give and it's the cam. I think I can make 370ish whp with the top end swap and that will keep me happy as I will be building a LQ9/LS3 hybrid to eventually swap out my LS1.

Tim94gt

iTrader: (2)

Why waste your money on heads and a fast if you plan on building another motor. Especially since you'll be going w/ an ls3 top end and You wont be able to reuse either of them.

I'd put a cam and save the rest of your cash for the engine your building. Just my $.02

420gto

iTrader: (11)

The build is way down the road, so I want so more "humph" from the LS1 at this time. I'm trying to be real strategic about everything I buy so it has good re-sale value once I do swap out engines. I need more ponies to hold me over.

Tim94gt

iTrader: (2)

I understand your reasoning regarding resale value but I still think it's a waste of money. It just doesn't make sense since you could do a cam and meet or exceed your goals for almost half the price.

Felix C

370rwhp attainable with less expense than FAST or ported heads. A 220,224 or similar. Even a LS6, Hot Cam, or GT2-3 will do it and they are less expensive than heads+fast.

420gto

iTrader: (11)

With the cam, necessary extra parts, and install I come right back to what I'm spending for the top end swap. If I go with the stock 243's and Fast swap I can push into the 360's with a good tune and end up cheaper than the cam kit(before install). I just decided last night that I might as well get the heads stage 1 ported and try to push 380 with a good tune. I know that would be the high side, but after the porting I'm not spending much more than the cam kit plus install.

A VR cam kit starts at $1200, I could buy all the parts for maybe $900-1000, but then all the shops up here want $500-600 for the swap, not including fluids. I spent $700 for the Fast 90, $400 on the 243's. AI stage 1 port job is $800, so I'd be right in the same price range with work I can do myself.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

And you Will get your money back from the fast and 243s even two years from now.

420gto

iTrader: (11)

Yea basically.

420gto

iTrader: (11)

Little update, I bought a set of Livernois stg 2 243's today so I won't be sending my 243's to AI after all and I come out much cheaper on my end. Not posting the price for the Livernois' but they ended up being significantly cheaper than the stock 243's plus porting. So I'll be selling the 243's.

Tim94gt

iTrader: (2)

Did you get the ones on ls1gto? If so, that was a great deal, I almost pulled the trigger myself. Good luck w/ the build...

420gto

iTrader: (11)

Yea, the guy had them posted here. They got lost in the shuffle but he's the same guy I bought the stock 243's from, so we were able to work out a deal quickly.

Thanks, I'm real happy I won't have to send anything out for work and it will be plug and play.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

That is going to be a car that pulls extremely hard all over and drives identical to stock.

Have you consider an ls6 cam? You can find them pretty cheap sometimes.. 150 for cam, 50 for springs, 50 for push rods... Leave your oil pump and get a ls2 chain for 60.

Then fluids.

That would be a fairly cheap and make for an extremely stout car for what it is.

420gto

iTrader: (11)

I'm considering a cam now because I got such a good deal on the heads and I can sell the stock 243's, my LS6 intake and Tb to cover a lot of the cam parts and maybe some install depending on what I do. I won't need springs as the Livernois heads come with .675 springs. That was my biggest concern since they would be the most expensive part of a cam kit.

So I'd be looking at a cam, pushrods, rockers, oil pump, and timing chain. I'll look around and see what I can come up with.